Crossing Universes
by jamielea
Summary: After Day of the Doctor, the TARDIS takes the Doctor where he needs to go.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is my own head canon about what happened between DOTD and TOTD**_

The Doctor walked around the console, running his hands over the controls. He had been brooding for days. Or was it years? Somewhere out there the Time Lords were alive in a pocket universe. His people were still alive. He had not destroyed them all. In fact, it was the opposite. He had saved them. But he feared the knowledge of his act had come too late. His time was ending soon. He could feel it in both of his very ancient hearts. He would be buried on Trenzalore, and the Time Lords would forever be stuck in the wrong place and time, alone in an empty universe.

He knew it did no good to dwell on such things. Everybody died, and when it was his turn, there would be no fighting it. That was the way of the universe, but still the weight of it was nearly crushing him. He took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair. He had to move on, continue, embrace all the moments that he had left. He needed a distraction to get his mind off the despair plaguing him. He needed an adventure with his Impossible Girl.

Thinking of Clara brought a small smile to his face. She had forced her way into his life, helping to pick up the pieces of his shattered heart after losing Amy and River.

"Oh, River," he whispered, his hand hovering over the controls. He had known from the beginning how she would leave him, but it didn't make it any easier. He sighed. He had lost so many, and so much, and it never got any easier.

Shaking off the memories, he punched in the coordinates for Clara's flat. Twirling around the console, he pushed buttons and turned knobs. With a flourish, he threw the lever to begin the dematerialization sequence and send TARDIS into the vortex.

Suddenly the time ship began to shudder. It felt almost as if she were fighting with herself between where she wanted to go and where she knew she needed to go. She pitched and shuttered violently, bells and buzzers alarming, warning of impending trouble. The Doctor ran around the console trying to discern the problem, but he was quickly thrown to the ground by a violent shake. He struggled to stand again but to no avail.

Then as abruptly as it had started, it was over. The lights flickered once, and then all was calm.

The Doctor jumped up, brushing imaginary lint from his pants. He ran around the console trying to discern what had gone wrong, but he found nothing. Everything looked as it should. He frowned at the Time Ship, wondering at her dramatic fit. But then he shrugged and headed towards the doors. Sometimes the TARDIS, like all the women in his life, just got herself into a mood.

The first thing he noticed when he opened the doors, was that he was definitely not in his intended location across from Clara's flat. Still, he did seem to be in the correct city and correct time period. He could do with a little walk anyway. It would give him time to clear his head a bit.

He chose a direction and began heading away from the TARDIS when abruptly he stopped. Something was not right. Yes, it looked like London, but something was off. He took a deep breath and bounced on his toes. The air smelled just a little different. The ground did not feel quite as it should. And his sense of time felt completely off, almost as if he were in an entirely different…

His eyes widened and he whipped out his sonic screwdriver. Flicking it on, he scanned the air around him then turned the screwdriver towards him to look at the findings. As the swirling circles of his language scrolled by, he began to panic, his hearts nearly beating out of his chest.

"No,no, no," he muttered, "this is bad, this is very, very, properly not good."

Turning around, he raced back to the TARDIS doors. Perhaps he could get out of here quickly enough to avoid any universe destroying catastrophes. He yanked the key out of his inner pocket and inserted it into the lock. Trying to turn the key, he found that nothing happened. She had locked him out! His TARDIS had locked him out!

Pounding on the door with his palm, he yelled for her to open the doors, but she stubbornly refused. Several people passed by, giving him odd glances. Finally he laid his forehead against the doors.

"What are you playing at?" he whispered, "we should not be here. We cannot be here. This is wrong."

She would not be reasoned with, however. He needed to be here, and so here is where she took him. He knew where she wanted him to go, but he fought it. He took a shuddering breath. This was his past, a past he had stored away in his mind and moved on from, just like all the other painful things in his past. Why would the TARDIS bring him back here now?

Finally, he straightened up. He knew there was no reasoning with his TARDIS when she had made up her mind about something. He would just have to face whatever she had brought him here for. But before he left, he pointed a finger at the doors and sternly told her, "I don't know what you are playing at, but it is your fault when this all goes pear shaped!"

Then he took a deep breath, straightened his bow tie, and walked off towards his destination.


	2. Chapter 2

_**In my mind 10.2 would still go by "Doctor" but since it might get confusing calling them both Doctor, I have called 10.2 by my own head cannon name for him: Jason (meaning healer) Theta (for his childhood nickname) Noble (for Donna).**_  
_**Thanks for reading!**_

Rose and her Doctor (officially named Jason Theta Noble in this universe) sat on the couch watching a movie. His fingers were threaded through hers as she snuggled up next to him, happy for the chance to finally have a quiet afternoon. They had spent most of the past few weeks on a Torchwood mission which had taken them to three different continents pursuing a hostile alien. In the end, they had captured the alien and sent him back to his home planet for trial. Unfortunately, the capture came after the death of three civilians and two Torchwood operatives.

Any time something went wrong and lives were lost, Jason blamed himself. It didn't matter who was leading the mission or why things went wrong, he put the mistakes on his own shoulders. The loss put him in a dark mood, which he took days to shake off.

He tried to relax and be present with Rose. He knew that there was no way he could have prevented the loss of life. The logical part of his mind kept telling him this, but logic was harder to listen to when he now had human emotions getting in the way. He absently ran his thumb over Rose's knuckles trying to let the feel of her hand ground him.

Glancing over at her, he saw the way the sunlight reflected off of her hair, bathing her in a golden light. She mourned the loss of life too, but she had a way of moving on, something he struggled to do. He asked her once how she could move on and she had told him that she just reminded herself that although they had lost a few lives, they had saved so many more. It made sense, of course, but he found it impossible to think that way. Perhaps it was because of the centuries of guilt that he carried with him always. Maybe it was the blood already on his hands, or the screams of the children and tears of their mothers that haunted his dreams every night.

Jason sighed and shifted closer to Rose. Everything in his body ached to run, to keep going and never stop. But she was his anchor, the one constant that kept him grounded. He had made her a promise, given her his one frail human heart. And for once he intended to do something right.

The movie was only half way done when they heard an alarm coming from their room. Months ago Jason had put together a machine that detected any new alien activity within 100 kilometers from their flat. As the alarm sounded, Rose groaned while Jason jumped up.

"Let someone else deal with it, yeah?" Rose pleaded. "We are off duty today."

Jason stopped in the middle of the room. She could tell that he was torn. He stood glancing at her and then back towards their room. He did not want to disappoint Rose. He knew he should just stay with her, enjoy their time, let someone else deal with things for a change. But he couldn't do that. He had a responsibility, and (if he was completely honest with himself) he loved the thrill associated with a new alien threat.

"I'll just…" he stuttered, "won't take me… I've got to… I'll be right back."

He darted out of the room, and Rose shook her head. She knew he couldn't sit down and relax thinking that someone else might be having an adventure without him. It drove her mad, but she also knew this was a part of his personality that had originally drawn her to him. She sighed and got up to follow him into the other room.

When she entered the room, he was sitting at the computer rapidly typing in commands and shaking his head. Rose looked over his shoulder trying to understand what he was seeing, but all she saw was the swirling language of his past. She had asked him once why he used Gallifreyan for the program instead of English, and he had explained that it kept it safe from prying eyes since he was the only speaker of Gallifreyan in this entire universe. Of course that made sense to her, but it also frustrated her no end during times like this.

"No no no no no," Jason muttered before slamming his palms on the desk.

Suddenly he jumped up, pulling on his hair and pacing around the room. He continued to mutter but Rose wasn't even sure if it was English anymore.

"Doctor, what is it?" she questioned, fear rising up in her with every step that he took.

He finally seemed to recognize her presence and turned to look at her. His eyes were like black flames. The emotions flicked through them so quickly that she could not even discern what they were, but the one that seemed prevalent, the one that settled in his face, was dread.

"Doctor?" she whispered.

He opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally answering in a barely audible voice, "it's me."


	3. Chapter 3

_He opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally answering in a barely audible voice, "it's me."_

Rose took a deep breath, preparing to barrage Jason with a thousand questions when the doorbell began to sound. They both went completely still, the tension in the room palpable. They stared at one another as if waiting to see who would make the first move. Both of them were silent, lost in their own thoughts. Was it really the Doctor, the Other Doctor? Why now? How? The questions swirled unanswered between them.

Jason's heart beat double time in his chest. He had faced Cyberman and Daleks. He had lost more in one moment than most people could lose over a thousand life times. Yet here, now, he was afraid. Terrified if he admitted it to himself. He had run into himself before. It was inevitable when one travelled through time as much as he did, but this time was different. This time he feared that his other self, his fully Time Lord self, would take away the one thing that he held dear in this universe. The one thing that kept him grounded when he wanted to simply run without ever looking back. Would Rose leave him when she was confronted with the opportunity to travel once again with Him?

The ringing on the doorbell became more insistent, followed by loud pounding. Jason started, finally waking from his stupor and headed towards the door, Rose a few paces behind him. His heart was pounding and his palms were sweaty, but Jason knew that he had to do this. Taking a deep breath to steel himself, Jason threw open the door.

Except for the eerily familiar ancient eyes, the man in front of him was young, impossibly young.

"Blimey," muttered Jason, "if this keeps up, I'll be wearing nappies on the next go around."

"Oi," the Doctor snapped, "you've just gone and gotten old." He pointed at the laugh lines around Jason's eyes and the stubble on his chin, leaning forward a bit and squinting as he did so.

Jason opened his mouth to respond then closed it again. He looked towards Rose for support, but she merely shrugged, covering her mouth to hide her smile. Apparently, he was still rude and not ginger in this regeneration.

"But,' began Jason, deciding it best to move on from the insult, "how are you even here? It's…"

"Impossible," supplied the Doctor, clapping his hands together. "Yes, yes it is. But you see, I was… Well, there was this… And then I just…"

Jason crossed his arms and leaned back against the door jamb. "You have no idea, do you?"

"Well," he began, scratching his head in a familiar nervous gesture, "actually, erm… no."

"But why come here? Why didn't you get in the TARDIS and high tail it back to your proper universe?" Jason pressed. If the Doctor came here, to see him, there must be some reason, some motive. Jason had been the Time Lord for over 900 years, long enough to know that he didn't just pop in for a social call.

The Doctor looked at his shoes and muttered something, a slight blush tinging his cheeks. Rose was surprised, not even realizing that Time Lords could blush.

Jason straightened and squinted at the Time Lord, "I'm sorry what did you say?"

"She locked me out," the Doctor huffed, not looking Jason in the eye.

Jason blinked and tried to hold back his laughter. What had the Doctor done to make the TARDIS mad enough to lock him out? He only recalled that happening once. And as he remembered, he definitely deserved it.

"She seemed to want me to come here," the Doctor continued, scratching his head again. "I'm not sure why? Wait a minute! Have you done something stupid? Been mucking about in the time lines or trying to rip holes in the fabric of reality?"

"Me?" Jason roared, pointing his finger and narrowing his eyes at the Doctor. "I was just sitting on my couch enjoying a well-deserved day off and watching a cheesy science fiction film with my wife. You're the one who came crashing through the void into the wrong universe!"

At the word wife, the Doctor's eyes flicked over to Rose.

"Are you two…" he began, waving his hand vaguely between the two of them.

Jason snaked his arm possessively around Rose before responding firmly, "Yes. Yes we are." He realized that he was acting a bit like a dog peeing on his turf, but at the moment he couldn't help himself.

The Doctor continued looking at Rose, a wild grin forming on his face. "Well that's just brilliant!"

It hurt Rose that the only look in the Doctor's eyes was one of kindness and affection. It was the same look one would give to any friend. She knew it shouldn't bring her pain. She had her Doctor. And she should be happy knowing that the Other Doctor had moved on, found someone or something worth living for. But she felt a squeeze to her heart nonetheless. She wondered if he had ever even mentioned her name once she was gone. Had it been so easy for him to relegate her to the back of his mind along with the long line of other companions he had travelled with? Was that all she had really been to him?

Rose sighed and leaned towards her husband whispering, "Are we going to make him stand outside all day? Shouldn't we…"

"Oh, right." He looked startled, as if the idea had never occurred to him. "Best come in then, since you're here." He stepped aside, allowing the Doctor entry to their home.

The Doctor's eyes widened a bit in surprise. He had been afraid of their reaction to him. He had expected anger, maybe even hatred, but here they stood, inviting him in to their lives. He let out a breath that he hadn't even realized he was holding.

"Do you have a bunk bed I can sleep in?" he blurted out suddenly.

Rose furrowed her brows in confusion, but a look of glee spread on Jason's face. "No we don't, but that would be brilliant. A bed with a ladder. Ooooh Rose, we have to get one!"

At that, Jason turned and walked back into the house continuing to ramble about what a great invention bunk beds were. She thought she heard him say something about the inventor of bunk beds and a noble prize as she tagged along behind him.

The Doctor stood at the door for a moment longer before finally following them in.

"Right then," the Doctor muttered, straightening his shoulders, "Geronimo."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Thanks for continuing to read and review! **_  
_**Here's a bit of angst for you.**_

After showing the Doctor the guest room, the three of them retreated to the office to try and uncover the mystery of why he was here and how he had managed to arrive. The Doctor sat at the computer, brow creased in concentration as he furiously typed in commands. Rose sat, chewing her lip, as she read over all her notes from the Dimension Cannon Project, occasionally stopping to jot down a word or phrase. Jason paced the floor, muttering and pulling at his hair. He stopped every few minutes to read over the Doctor's shoulder or consult Rose's notes before returning to his vigil.

Finally the Doctor slammed the lap top closed and stood up. Jason stopped his pacing to stare at him, and Rose looked up, waiting. It was silent for a moment, the three of them watching one another, breath held in anticipation.

"It just doesn't make sense," the Doctor began with arms flailing, "there is only the tiniest of cracks. It doesn't seem to have allowed anything else through. The TARDIS should never have gotten through. It's simply impossible. It's like…" he paused, putting a finger to his lips in thought, "it's like the universe simply wanted me to be here." He stopped, forehead creased, as he stared out the window.

"Did someone here call for me? Did you two? Is there some specific reason I am needed here?" He whirled around on them, firing out the questions.

Rose and Jason both shook their heads. Of course there were always hostile aliens to deal with, disasters to divert, but they were handling it. It was these adventures that frankly kept them both from losing their minds. Besides, this universe already had one Doctor. It wasn't in need of another, as far as they could see.

The Doctor's shoulders slumped. "Right, well, I've got less than 24 hours to get back through that crack before…. Wait a minute!" he cried, snapping his fingers, "what about your TARDIS? Surely the coral I gave you has grown by now?"

Jason merely shook his head before walking out the door towards his bedroom. The Doctor turned curiously towards Rose.

"It never grew Doctor," she whispered, pain radiating from her voice, "he tried everything, but nothing worked. Wrong universe I guess." She shrugged slightly. "When he realized there was nothing he could do, he…" she paused, shaking her head before locking onto the Doctor's eyes with hers, "I thought I was gonna lose him forever."

The Doctor looked away, towards the window again. "I'm sorry," he sighed, "I didn't…. I'm sorry."

He looked like he was going to say more, but instead he turned around and walked silently out the door. He was still the same man, running away when things got difficult.

Of course he was sorry, Rose thought. He was always sorry. But that never changed anything. He continued on as he always had, dictating the lives of others without a backward glance. She tried to be angry at him, had been angry for so very long. But she had wasted far too much time being angry in the beginning instead of loving the man who had stayed. No, the time for anger had passed, she couldn't hold onto it anymore. And besides, despite it all, she still loved him, would always love him. He had shown her the universe, and that was not something easily forgotten.

xxxxxx

The Doctor continued out the front door to towards his TARDIS. He took the key from his pocket to try opening the door once more. But his efforts were in vain. He even tried sonicing the lock, though he knew that was futile. She simply was not going to let him in. He smacked his hand against the door in frustration.

"Why am I here?" he pleaded, but she remained silent. Whatever was going on, he was on his own in figuring it out. He leaned his head against the cool wood, panic threatening to overtake him. If he didn't think fast, he would be trapped in the wrong universe without even a TARDIS. Stuck, in one place, one time. The wrong place and wrong time. Oh, but wouldn't that be fitting? Wasn't that what he had done to his part human self? Perhaps this was the universe's way of evening the score. And wasn't that just bloody fantastic. He allowed only a single tear to slip down his cheek before he sniffed and wiped his eyes. If he only had a single day to figure things out, he best get on with it.

xxxxxx

Jason didn't bother trying to wipe the tears from his face. He shuddered and took a ragged breath. The loss of the TARDIS had nearly killed him. For centuries she had been his one constant companion. When all his people had died at his hand, he still had her to keep him from going completely mad. He fingered the dead piece of coral in his hand before heaving it across the room. It made a satisfying thwack across the wall. He wanted to kick and scream and rail against the universe.

He turned to look out the window as the Doctor leaned his head against the TARDIS. He should feel some grim satisfaction in the full Time Lord's fate. But instead all he felt was pity. He knew what it was like being stuck. At least he had a bit of humanity to help him through. At least he had Rose Tyler, the woman he loved. His breath hitched. Did he still have Rose? Would she want to stay with him now when the "real" Doctor had returned? He still felt like the Doctor. Same thoughts, same memories, same magnificent Time Lord brain. But he knew that he was somehow less than. And if the Doctor found a way back to his own universe, what would Rose choose? That's how he was different from the alien outside. While the Doctor decided for people, Jason would let Rose choose, even at the cost of his very soul.

He ran his hands across his face and through his hair, taking a steadying breath. He needed to calm himself. It was important that he not let the Doctor see him this way. He felt a deep shame at how weak his humanity had caused him to become.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Thank you for all the follows, favorites, and reviews. I appreciate every single one of them.**_

Rose headed out to the store, claiming she needed to pick up a few things for supper. If she were completely honest with herself though, she desperately needed to get away for a while. Dealing with one brooding Time Lord was taxing. She wasn't completely sure she could survive two. And then there was the fact that it hurt, loving them both. They were the same man, and yet not, and she could only ever have one. But saying goodbye to the other would break her heart, again.

xxxxxx

The Doctor walked slowly around the flat, waving his sonic and taking readings on every centimeter of the property. He hoped that he could find something, anything that would help him figure out a way back home. Every couple of minutes he would flick the sonic towards himself, scrutinize the findings, mutter something, and then return to scanning. Finally he huffed, running his hand through his hair. There was something he was missing. Something so simple. Something nagging just at the edge of his mind. If only he could figure out what it was.

xxxxxx

Jason headed outside to his garden. He had been surprised to discover how much he enjoyed gardening. It was not something he had ever done before coming to this universe. But now he found it soothed him. The feel of the cool earth running through his fingers and the sight of new life, that he had helped create, sprouting up from the dirt calmed his restlessness. He plucked a dead leaf from his favorite rose bush, and sneered a bit to himself at just how domestic he had become. So engrossed was he in his work, that he did not hear the Doctor come up behind him until he spoke.

"Is this what you do all day, then?" the Doctor asked, rubbing his hands in front of him.

Jason whirled on him, teeth clenched.

"Don't you dare insinuate that my life is not enough," he ground out. "You did this. You left me stranded hear with no way out. You made the choice for me without so much as a second glance. I have gone through hell and back trying to make something for myself here. How dare you ever, ever question me about this life."

The doctor stepped back, surprised by the angry outburst. "But," he retorted, "you were dangerous. You committed genocide. I had to…."

"Genocide!" Jason roared, his chest heaving now, "oh that is rich coming from you. It wouldn't be the first time we've done that. Not by a long shot. You… we… destroyed whole worlds in a single instant. Our entire people, every one of them, gone. Burned with our home. So, don't you talk to me about genocide!"

The Doctor began to pace, hands waving about, "Oh, oh, but of course. You don't know. Well how could you know? That's it then. That's why She brought me here. I have to tell you."

"What are you on about? Tell me what?" Jason demanded, his anger continuing to rise, unchecked.

Slowly, the Doctor turned to face him. "What do you remember about that day?" he began, softly.

Jason reeled. Where had that question even come from? He didn't want to think about that day, but unwillingly, he began to think back. He could hear the screams of the children. He could see the flames lying waste to his home world. He could smell the burning flesh. His breathing was ragged now as he tried to chase the memories from his mind.

"What do I remember? I remember everything. I remember every single second. It is burned into my mind. It replays in my nightmares every time I close my eyes."

But that wasn't true, was it? He could feel the button of the Moment against the palm of his hand. And then… and then he was regenerating in the TARDIS. Gallifrey, and the billions of people on it, gone. Murdered in an instant by his hand. But what of the moments in between? Had he buried them so deep in his mind that he could no longer access them? He tried to unearth them, unlocking every door. Peering around every corner. But he found nothing there. Nothing, but emptiness.

He squeezed his eyes closed, hands clenched into fists at his sides. "No," he ground out, shaking his head, "I will not go there with you. I will not let you do this to me."

Was this what he had become, so cruel, so evil, playing with other people's emotions. Forcing them to remember what they tried so very hard to forget?

"Please, Doctor," the Time Lord whispered, raising his hands to Jason's temples, "let me do this one thing for you."

At the word Doctor, Jason lifted his head and stared into his counter parts eyes. He searched them for some hint of duplicity, something sinister, or crazed. But all he saw there was compassion, sincerity, and a spark of something that looked suspiciously like…. Hope. Finally, he nodded, consenting to the Doctor's request. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the other's entry into his mind.

The Doctor gently placed his hands against the sides of Jason's face. 900 years of shared memories flowed between them. Every thought, every feeling, every companion, every loss, remembered in a few seconds time. And then, they were there. On that day. The day that had changed everything.

Jason's breath became labored as he felt once again the Moment beneath his hand. But wait, now there were two more hands on top of his. He gasped, looking up into the faces of the man who shared his face, and the man who stood before him. How was it possible that they were both here? And then he saw her, Rose. No, not Rose. It was the interface of the most destructive weapon in the multi-verse taking on the likeness of Rose in order to save him from doing the one thing he would never be able to forgive himself for.

And now they had a new plan. A plan to save Gallifrey, rather than destroy it. And he was there, all of him, every face that had ever been his, and one that he did not recognize. They surrounded Gallifrey, moving it into a pocket universe and allowing the Daleks to destroy themselves.

The golden time lines surrounding Jason's memories of Gallifrey began to unravel and re-form into something new. New possibilities opened up and expanded before his very eyes. He pulled away from the Doctor, panting as he bent over, hands on his knees. He had to know.

"Did it work?"

The Doctor simply nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.

Jason stood. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to think of something to say. But he could not find a single sentence, a single word that could begin to describe what he felt inside. Instead, he put his head in his hands, fell to his knees, and wept. Heaving sobs wracked his body as he felt waves of sorrow at the years he had lost to guilt, and waves of joy at being exonerated of it all. His people were out there, somewhere. He was not alone. He was not the murderer of his own race, and yet, he knew, he had been willing to be. To save the universe, he had been willing to destroy his entire planet. Billions of people, dead. And what kind of man did that make him, in the end?

Awkwardly, the Doctor stretched out a hand towards Jason, but then pulled it back, unsure of what to do in the face of such strong emotions. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to decide how best to proceed. Then, finally, he sank down next to his part human self, gathered him in his arms, and held him. He didn't know when his own tears began, but for the first time in many, many years he allowed himself to cry, to mourn for the losses that had added one on top of the other during his long, long life. He wept for the things that had been, the things that could have been, and the things that, despite it all, were still to come.


	6. Chapter 6

The Doctors allowed themselves a few minutes of uninhibited grief before standing and going their separate ways to pull themselves together. Jason headed to the toilet to splash water on his face and straighten his hair. The Time Lord went directly to the kitchen to prepare a pot of tea. He chuckled quietly to himself as he realized how much of the British culture he had taken on, thinking tea was the answer to most of the universe's ills.

As Jason made his way to the table, the Doctor poured out two mugs of the steaming liquid. He heaped four spoons of sugar and a splash of milk into Jason's cup, glancing at him with a raised eyebrow to make sure that was how he still liked to drink it. Jason smiled and nodded, accepting the tea with gratitude.

They sat on either end of the table, hands wrapped around their mugs, silence breathing between them. It was unusual for either of them to stay quiet for so long. They used words as a wall to protect themselves. Always talking, but never actually saying anything. But what is there to say when the other person not only knows your darkest secrets but has lived them?

It was Jason who broke the silence first.

"So," he began uncertainly, "I expect you have already started looking? Even if it takes you centuries to find them, that's nothing for a Time Lord. And then, travel between universes will be easy once again," he ended, looking to the Doctor with renewed hope in his eyes.

"No."

The reply was filled with such anguish, it nearly took Jason's breath away.

"No. My time is ending. Number 13. Remember?"

Jason was stunned. He hadn't remembered. How could he forget that in creating himself, he had given up one of his lives. This Doctor sitting before him was the last. The final Doctor. He sat back. Somehow, knowing the Time Lord was out there, even in another universe, had made Jason feel less alone. It was like knowing there was a piece of him that would go on, long after he had become nothing but dust.

"But you could still live for centuries," he protested, "I mean, we don't have a good record as of late. Been running through lives rather quickly. But if you're careful…."

But the Doctor continued to shake his head, finally getting up to pace, so he could talk without having to look his half human self in the eye.

"No. I've seen it."

"What? You've seen what?" Jason ground out in frustration.

"Trenzelore. My grave. My final resting place. It's not far off. Not long now before the Doctor in the other universe is no more."

"But, no!" And now Jason was standing. He strode towards the Doctor, grabbed his shoulder, and swung him around, forcing him to look him in the eye.

"No!" he thundered again, "time can be rewritten. We do it all the time, you and I. Change it. Change your destination."

The doctor gave a sad smile.

"That's what you… he… the other you said. But there's no changing this. And that's OK, really. Every story must have an ending, even mine."

"But, our people," Jason whispered, "out there, lost. What was the good of saving them, if we can never bring them back?"

"Ah, but there's you!" the Doctor beamed, as if he had just found the answer to every one of life's great questions.

Jason sputtered, "Me? Me? I don't have a TARDIS. I'm trapped here. One planet, one time, one life, or have you forgotten?"

"You've got Torchwood resources, and a Time Lord mind. It won't take you long to figure something out. Oooh," he exclaimed, reaching into his pocket, "and there's this!"

He sonicing the thing in his hand before handing it to Jason.

"Vortex manipulator. Rubbish way to travel, but it will get you started. Once you have access to future and alien technology, you will be able to get yourself a much more pleasurable method of travel. There are still cracks, you know, between the universes. If you can find the right one, they might be there, on the other side." He waved his hand as if indicating where they might be.

Then he looked down sadly, "I'm sorry, I know it's not the TARDIS, but…"

Jason slowly lowered himself back into his chair. He flipped the bracelet round and round in his hands. No, it wasn't the TARDIS. Nothing could ever replace her in his life. It was physically painful, not having her, not being able to feel her soothing song in his mind. Still, the Doctor was offering him a chance to see the stars again. To travel, with Rose by his side. (Oh he hoped Rose would still be by his side. He still wasn't sure that she would choose him.) And with the vortex manipulator, he could build them a ship. He could use future medicine to prolong their lives, maybe for a couple hundred years. And maybe, just maybe, he could find his people, and oh the possibilities that might bring.

"Unless," the Doctor started, than stopped. "Unless you want to come with me. To the other universe. In the TARDIS."

Jason started, hardly believing the Doctor had offered him that. He knew the Time Lord did not want him to come. He had been the same man for long enough to know that. But the fact that he had even asked….

"No. I have worked hard, building a life here. I'm needed here. With you, I would always be in your shadow, inferior. I can't live like that."

The Doctor breathed out a sigh of relief and nodded. Then he sat back down and inhaled the steam from his still warm tea. The Doctors smiled at each other then. There would never be two men who understood each other better, but they both knew their time together was coming to an end. Jason was surprised to realize that the thought saddened him. It was nice, being in the presence of a Time Lord again. Even one who had left him stranded here without a choice. They seemed to have reached a peace with one another. And if felt good to both of them, lifting a weight that neither of them even realized they carried.

While they were still sitting together, Rose walked in. She had expected to find two angry Time Lords in separate corners of the house. But instead she was quite surprised to see them drinking tea together and talking like old mates reminiscing about their school days.

"Rose!" Jason jumped up. "Rose, you won't believe… It didn't…. I wasn't…. Rose they're not dead. The Time Lords. They're still alive!"

Rose creased her brow in confusion and looked to the Doctor for an explanation. He merely nodded and smiled.

"I don't understand. How? What are you talking about?"

Jason stepped towards her, leaning his forehead against hers. "Can I show you?" he whispered.

She nodded. She could feel his arms wrap around her waist and his breath tickled her cheek as he slipped into her mind, showing her everything the Doctor had shown him. They stood like for a long time. Long after he had poured his new memories into her.

The Doctor watched them for a while, and then silently headed for the door. After one last glance at his half human self and his former companion, he slipped quietly out the front door, and back to the TARDIS.


	7. Chapter 7

Rose stood holding Jason for a long time, until she realized that the Doctor was gone. She pulled away from Jason and raced to the door. Throwing it open, she was relieved to see that the TARDIS was still there. She cursed the Doctor under her breath as she ran for the TARDIS. He was not going to do this to her again. She would not let him. How dare he even try.

As soon as she reached the TARDIS doors, she heard the familiar "vroop vroop" of dematerialization.

"NO!" she cried, pounding the door with her fists. "You can't do this to me, not again. Do you hear me, Doctor?"

She was sobbing now, her shoulders heaving as she begged him not to go. It took her a few seconds to realize that the TARDIS was still there, and quiet. He hadn't left. He had come back for her. She swallowed a sob, sniffed hard, and wiped her face quickly before pushing open the door. The Doctor stood hunched over the console, his hands silently playing over the controls. He did not look at Rose as she entered. She stopped a few feet from him and waited, silent.

The Doctor forced out a breath, not knowing what to say. He couldn't take her with him. He still cared for her, would always care for her. She had shown him out of the darkness when he thought he had nothing worth living for. But that was so long ago, and he had moved on. Jason, however, needed her. The Doctor had felt the depth of that need when he had entered his mind. And although she didn't know it, she needed Jason too. He could give her what the Doctor never could. No, he could not take her from Jason. He had made far too many mistakes where she was concerned. He would not add that one to it.  
Rose watched the Doctor. He hadn't said a word, hadn't even looked at her.

Finally, she realized that she would need to be the one to break the silence.

"Doctor," she began, forcing herself to keep calm, "how could you leave me again without saying goodbye?"

Forcing a breath from his lungs, he glanced over at her. Was that what this was about? She didn't want to leave with him, she merely wanted a goodbye?  
He shook his head, he began to fiddle with a dial. He stayed quiet for so long that Rose thought perhaps he wasn't going to say a word. But finally, in a quiet pained voice, he spoke.

"It hurts too much, saying goodbye."

Rose stepped towards him. Putting a hand on his shoulder, she tilted her head down towards him so that he was forced to look at her.

"Not as much as it hurts the ones you leave behind when you don't say goodbye," she whispered.

He straightened up to face her, surprised at her words. He shouldn't have been surprised though. Wasn't that what River had told him, and Sarah Jane, and probably others before, if he thought about it. He really was a git sometimes. Rubbish at anything involving emotions. Yet he continued to spend time with humans, leaving them broken hearted in the end. Was it fair, what he did? His hands fluttered nervously in front of him as he thought of how to respond.  
Taking a deep breath, he pressed forward with the one question he needed answered.

"Rose." He tilted his head forward so he could look her directly in the eyes. "Are you happy here?"

She stared into his eyes, amazed that although they were so different, they were still so familiar. Worrying her lip, she thought. She knew that he didn't want her to give a flippant response. He needed to know. Needed to hear the truth.

The Doctor began to worry. Did he really want the answer to the question? What if she wasn't happy? Would he take her with him? He had already decided he couldn't do that, but what option did that leave him?

"Yes," she finally said simply, startling him from his thoughts.

"It's been hard. So very hard at times. But we are happy here. He loves me, and I love him. I was so angry at you for a long time, but I'm not angry anymore, Doctor. I'm grateful. Thank you. For everything."

He had done something right. There were so many things he doubted. So many things he had done wrong. But, this once, it seemed he had done the right thing. His breath hitched. She had told him what he really needed to hear, and now it was his turn to say the words that she needed to hear.

"Goodbye Rose Tyler-Noble."

He said it simply and firmly, the way he knew she needed him to say it.

She gave him a watery smile. She wanted to ask him if he was happy, but she knew he would never give her the truth. He still had his TARDIS, and she hoped he had found someone who cared about him. He would continue on, as he always had, but with hope now, knowing he wasn't the last anymore. She would have to trust that that was enough.

"Goodbye Doctor," she finally replied, and then she stood on her toes and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.

There was no more to be said between them. All the important words had been uttered. So she turned and walked towards the door. Only when she reached it did she turn to give the Doctor one more smile. He stood, mouth slightly agape in shock, watching her go. She was amazing, he thought in wonder. Just amazing.

She pushed open the door and stepped outside. Hearing the TARDIS dematerialize, she turned to watch as it disappeared from her life for the final time. Then she turned back towards her house. Back to the man who not only loved her, but who had stayed with her and promised her forever.


	8. Chapter 8

Jason leaned against the door frame as he watched Rose run to the TARDIS. He had known that she might leave him. Had felt it with every breath he took since the Doctor had stepped back into their lives. But he had hoped that what they had built here, the promises they had made, the life they had shared meant something to her. He had hoped that when it came to a final choice, she would choose him and not HIM. But it seemed that all he was, all he had ever been, was a substitute, a place holder, a pale imitation of the man she really loved.

He wanted to run after her. He wanted to yell for her to come back. He wanted to tell her that he loved her with every beat of his pitiful, singular heart. He wanted to promise her the sun and moon and stars, if only she would come back to him. But he didn't. He couldn't. His voice caught in his throat. His legs wouldn't budge, and he knew that he couldn't force her love in any case. So he watched her go, and with her, every dream that he had ever had for himself died.

His breath came in ragged gasps as he choked down his tears. He had done enough crying today. It was no use to give into that again. It wouldn't change anything. He had been a fool to think that he could live out the rest of his days happily with the woman he loved. The universe had never been that kind to him. It had taken everything from him that ever mattered. Angry at his own stupidity, he shook his head and pounded his fist against the wall.

Looking down, he saw the vortex manipulator still in his hand. So this is what was left of his life, a shoddy piece of technology and a vague hope that somewhere out there the Time Lords were waiting to be found. He thought about setting in a series of random coordinates and just seeing where he ended up. But realizing the TARDIS had not left yet, he looked back up, curiosity keeping him in place a moment longer.

Perhaps the Doctor was trying to talk Rose into staying behind. He had left her behind before, maybe it was his plan to do it again. Jason imagined her crying, pleading for the Doctor to allow her to stay. Or perhaps she was angry, screaming at him for trying to leave her behind again with nothing more than a copy.

And then the TARDIS door opened, and she stepped out. What was happening? Had the Doctor demanded she leave? Had he forced her out the door? What did this mean for him? For them? He didn't want her here out of duty or obligation. He refused to be someone's second choice. No, he would go it alone, like he had so many times before, rather than live in the constant shadow of another man.

Rose turned to watch the TARDIS leave before walking back to him. He expected her to be angry, hurt, shoulders slumped as tears poured down her face. What he saw instead took his breath away. She was smiling. At him. Looking at him with such love in her eyes. And then she was in his arms. He was laughing and crying and swinging her around. And she was giggling and sighing like she had finally come home.

Setting her down, he stared at her in wonder.

"What is it, Doctor?" she asked, her head tilting to the side.

And oh, she had called him Doctor! Still, even now, after seeing HIM again, she called him Doctor.

"Rose," he whispered her name in awe, "you stayed. Here. With me."

She wrinkled her brow in confusion, wondering how he could ever have thought there was another choice.

"Well of course I did," she replied, her voice laced with exasperation, "you're my Doctor."

And that was it. It was really that simple. She had had a choice, and she had chosen him.

DWDWDWDWDW

The Doctor began the dematerialization process and braced himself for the difficult journey. The TARDIS shuddered and shook, straining with all her might to return them safely to their proper universe. Then all was silent once more. They had done the impossible once again, crossing a void that no one should be able to cross.

He stood and stroked the console in silent thanks, giving a sad smile. Nothing had changed for him. Not really. He still knew where he was heading, what he needed to do. But he felt different somehow, lighter, freer than he had in a long time. A wrong had been righted, and he had the TARDIS to thank for that. His beautiful, wonderful, magnificent ship. She had once again taken him exactly where he needed to go.

Setting the controls to take them to Clara's flat, he flipped switches and turned dials with a renewed vigor. He twirled around with a flair and with a whispered, "Geronimo!" he threw the last switch, setting them on a course for their next adventure.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Interlude**_

It had been five days since the other Doctor had left them with the vortex manipulator, and they had yet to go on a single adventure. When she asked her Doctor about it, he mumbled something about needing to thoroughly check it over to ensure it was safe and working properly. They didn't want to be stuck in a perilous situation with no means of escaping it because their equipment was faulty. Rose wasn't buying it though. She knew he could have scanned the bracelet with his sonic screwdriver in three seconds flat. Besides, when had he ever been hesitant to throw caution to the wind when an adventure was on the horizon? She knew there was more going on with him and determined to find out what it was.

Dishing up their supper, she set a plate in front of each of them. The Doctor began to immediately tuck into his food with only a brief smile and "thanks." Rose; however, pushed her plate away, folded her hands in front of her and stared at him.

"What is it then, Doctor?" she began without preamble.

"Hmmm, what?" The Doctor glanced around quickly, hoping to see somewhere in the air around him what she was referring to.

"The vortex manipulator. Why haven't we used it yet? Not even a short hop across the world. And don't give me none of that 'I'm testing it out first.' I can see right through that excuse. So tell me what's really going on, yeah."

The Doctor set his fork down in front of him and leaned back in his chair. Emotions that she hadn't expected to see flicked across his face: pain and sorrow and guilt. Creasing her brow, she leaned towards him. What could be causing him to feel this way? He opened and closed his mouth a few times as if trying to work up the courage to speak. Finally, the words began to tumble out.

"Rose, when I was a Time Lord. A full Time Lord. I never thought much about the dangers of all my travelling. I did it because, well because it was fun. I didn't want to die, but I didn't really think about it much either. But now, I'm human. Only one life, and I could…." His voice trailed off.

She reached across the table for his hand. "So, you're afraid then?"

"No, well yes, actually. But that's not it. That's not the problem. You see, you all, my companions I mean, I took you with me. I … and you, you could have died. Some did die or had their lives ruined, or memories erased. And I kept taking people with me because I needed you. I was a selfish git. As a human, I realize how fragile life is, and I never thought… So, what kind of man does that make me in the end?"

His voice cracked on the final word and a lone tear trickled down his face. Rose stood up and walked around the table to kneel down in front of him. She took both of his hands in hers.

"Doctor, we all chose to go with us. You didn't force any of us."

He grimaced at that. There were a few things he still had not told her about his very long life.

"And even when we saw the danger, knew it completely," she continued, "we still chose that life. I, for one, wouldn't change a single moment of it. Even knowing everything I know. I saw how terrifying the universe is, but I also saw how wonderful and vast it is too. And if I had it all to do again, I would, even knowing I could die. 'Cause I'd rather die like that, than live the life I would have lived had I never met you."

He took a deep breath and looked down at her, his beautiful pink and yellow girl. Her eyes were bright and earnest. She always knew just what to say, and he believed her, knew it was true. She had chosen him a long time ago. Would choose him every time. He couldn't fathom it, but knew it was true. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the vortex manipulator, turning it over and over in his hands a few times, thinking. Finally, he slipped it on his wrist and grabbed both of her hands.

"Well then Rose Tyler Nobel," he grinned, "where would you like to go first?"

"With you?" she said, returning his smile, "anywhere."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Part II You Are Not Alone**_

Rose stood in the doorway watching her Doctor. He was hunched over the computer screen, brows creased and tongue touching the roof of his mouth in his typical pose of concentration. She could spend hours just watching him this way. They had taken a few quick journeys with their new vortex manipulator, testing it out. Most of them had ended up with lots of running just like their adventures always had. It was thrilling to be able to travel again, but now the Doctor had a promise to keep, and he was setting to the work in earnest. Something had changed in him with this new mission. While he had seemed happy and fairly content with her before, he now seemed to have come alive. The excitement and enthusiasm for life that he had as a full Time Lord had returned.

He stared at the computer for a few more seconds before jumping out of his chair and shouting, "Canada!"

Rose stepped into the room then. He turned to face her, not looking at all surprised to see her there. He still had more advanced senses the humans and probably had heard and smelled her the moment she had first appeared in the doorway.

"Canada, Doctor?" she questioned with raised eyebrows.

"Canada, Rose. It's a large country. Just north of the United States. Very friendly people, for the most part. Oooh and they have a dish called Poutine. It's…"

"Doctor," she tried to interrupt his rambling.

"Chips with gravy and cheese curds…"

"Doctor," she said more loudly this time.

"Can you imagine, cheese curds Rose, it's simply…."

"DOCTOR!" This time she shouted.

He paused, mouth still hanging open before he snapped it shut again.

"I know where and what Canada is, yeah. What I don't know is why you are sitting in an empty room shouting it out like it's the answer to every mystery of the universe."

"Oh, yeah, right," he sputtered, "wellll, I found a crack just above Vancouver. It's the tiniest of cracks. Torchwood would never have been able to see it with their equipment, but because I'm very, very good and very, very clever, I was able to come up with a machine that can spot cracks of that size."

She rolled her eyes at the self-assured grin he gave her.

"And what does the appearance of this crack mean Doctor?" she questioned him.

His shoulders slumped slightly. "Well, maybe, probably, er almost certainly nothing. There are tiny cracks that appear between universes all the time. 99.9% of the time they disappear again without anyone ever even realizing they have been there."

Rose felt bad for deflating his enthusiasm. She knew they were up against impossible odds in actually finding where the Time Lords were, and she knew that the Doctor needed her to keep him hopeful. She put a hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes.

"How do we find out if this particular crack is something more?" she asked softly.

He brightened at her question.

"Well, that involves another clever machine that I invented," he responded, the grin returning to his face.

He held up something that looked like a bullhorn attached to a transistor radio.

"This will transmit a continuous message through the crack. We just need to travel to Vancouver, set this up, and wait a few days to see if we get a response."

Rose nodded, worrying her lip. That seemed simple enough, although nothing with them was ever simple.

"So, Rose Tyler-Noble, do you fancy a trip to Canada with me?"

She creased her brows. "I don't know. Will it be dangerous?"

He pursed his lips in thought. "I don't think so. Well, possible. Actually with the two of us involved, almost certainly."

"Well then Doctor," she grinned, "what are we waiting for?"

"Oh Rose," he said waggling his eyebrows, "I like the way you think!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Part II ** _You Are Not Alone_

It had been 48 hours since they had arrived in Vancouver, and there had been nothing coming through the crack. The Doctor's machine had picked up nothing but silence. Of course this was what they had both expected, but even so it was a bit heartbreaking to have their doubts confirmed. Still, thought Rose, the city was beautiful and the poutine was amazing. They had also found a small dessert shop called "Death By Chocolate." It was exactly as the name implied, chocolate in every form imaginable, and in servings large enough to satisfy even the biggest chocohalic.

Rose and the Doctor sat at a table for two in the little eatery. They were supposed to be sharing a dessert, but so far Rose had eaten nearly half of it, and the Doctor had yet to take a single bite. That was very unlike him since his sweet tooth (if it were even possible) had only increased with the meta-crisis. He currently sat hunched over his lap top with his brow furrowed in concentration, muttering in some language that Rose did not understand.

"Doctor, this dessert is simply gorgeous, aren't you even going to try a bite?" she ventured, trying to get him to at least acknowledge her presence across the table from him.

"Hmmm, yeah, yeah, sure, just give me a mo here…." He responded distractedly, waving a hand.

She continued to watch him, wondering what could possibly be drawing all of his attention.

"What is it? Has there been some response from the other side of the crack?"

"No, no response, nothing like that," he mumbled, before finally taking his attention from the screen long enough to look up at her. "It's just, there's a time traveler here Rose. In the city. Close by. My program has picked up traces of the Time Vortex clinging to them. If I could only pinpoint their exact location…" His voice trailed off as he returned to typing.

"Ooh, yes, got it!" He shouted, jumping out his chair and slamming the lap top closed.

He grabbed the computer in his hands and started heading for the door.

"Doctor, wait, I haven't even finished my… Oh what's the use."

Rose knew there was no stopping him once his mind was set on something. She shoved one more bite of the delicious concoction in her mouth before hurrying after him. The other patrons stared after her with curious gazes.

She nearly ran into the Doctor as he stood outside the establishment hailing a Taxi. As soon as they entered the car, he rattled off an address. It wasn't a long drive, and neither of them spoke during the ride. The Doctor was nearly vibrating with excitement like a kid on his way to an amusement park. He was never so happy as when he was solving a mystery. Rose merely watched him. He could be so exasperating at times, and yet this is one of the things she loved about him. His excitement and zest for life were contagious.

When they arrived at their destination, the Doctor threw a handful of bills at the driver.

"I hope that's enough," he shouted back through the door.

By the look on the driver's face, Rose could tell the money was more than enough. It was a good thing that her parents were rich and the Doctor had saved the world multiple times over she thought, rolling her eyes.

They stood across from an unassuming house. It was small but well maintained. The garden was tiny, but obviously well loved as beautiful flowers grew in neat rows.

"What now?" Rose questioned.

"Wellll, I…" the Doctor started, but then stopped as a couple stepped out the front door.

The man was probably in his early sixties. His hair was completely silver, but he had a full head of it. He used a cane and walked with a slight limp. The woman with him was a few years younger with long jet black hair. The couple walked arm and arm and didn't even notice Rose and the Doctor, being that they were so wrapped up in one other. Just from the few seconds she had seen them, Rose could tell they were deeply in love.

Rose glanced over at the Doctor just in time to see him whipping out a pair of old fashioned 3-d glasses from his pocket. He brought them to his eyes, muttering.

"Ooh, I thought so."

Rose furrowed her brows with curiosity before he handed the glasses over to her. She put them on and gasped. The man was covered in void stuff. It was faint and sparse, but definitely there. The woman; however, was free of the stuff.

"Void stuff," she whispered, "but what does all this mean, Doctor?"

"I don't know, Rose, but I aim to find out."

He was grinning like the Cheshire Cat now, and pulling her back towards their hotel. Once there, he began furiously looking up information on the computer.

"Aha! Found you! Seems our mystery man is Jon Baker, professor of Physics and Astronomy at Simon Fraser University. The woman with him was his wife, Liz." He continued flicking from screen to screen and reading for what seemed to Rose to be hours before he started speaking again.

"He has written quite a few research papers on quantum physics and string theory. Quite a genius, really. Hmmmm, I'm rather impressed, and I don't impress easily, Rose Tyler Noble."

"So what are we going to do with this information, Doctor?" Rose asked.

"Well, I think we ought to head over to the University tomorrow and pay our Professor Baker a little visit."


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning Rose awoke to the Doctor's face hovering above hers.

"Doctor, what are you doing, it's…" she glanced over at the alarm clock before flopping back down with a grunt, her arm covering her eyes, "it's 6:30 in the morning!"

The Doctor grinned before giving her a kiss, "yes I know. I thought you would get angry if I woke you up at 5:30, so I let you sleep for another hour. You don't have to thank me though."

"Doctor?"

"Hmmmm…" he responded, already jumping off the bed.

"I'm angry now. What possible reason is there to be waking me up at 6:30 in the morning?"

He turned back towards her, brows creased in confusion. He thought she would be happy that he had let her sleep in. Humans! They would sleep there whole day away if they could. He found it frustrating enough that he had to sleep a few hours every night, but he certainly didn't want to waste any more time than necessary on it.

"Oh well Rose, we've got places to go, people to meet. I want to check that my transistor is still working just in case any messages come through. And we need to head over to the university to do a little more research on our mysterious professor before we talk to him. You know, read his thesis paper, snoop around a bit. Now come on, up and at 'em! Time is wasting!"

Rose scrubbed her face. She knew it was useless to try to go back to sleep now. He would probably be pacing around the room glancing in her direction every 30 seconds until she decided to get out of bed. Not very conducive to getting more rest. She sat up and sighed. Why couldn't she have married an alien who liked to sleep 12 hours a day instead of one who hated the very idea of sleep?

"Alright Doctor," she acquiesced, "I'm gonna take a shower and when I get out, there had better be a large mug of coffee and a hearty breakfast waiting for me, got it mister?"

Eyes twinkling, he kissed her again before heading for the door, "anything for you my dear," he said with a wink.

The transistor was working perfectly, hidden from prying eyes by a clump of bushes. A message was being continuously played into the crack, but there still had been no reply. The Doctor seemed slightly disappointed in this, but quickly recovered as he remembered the intrigue happening right in Vancouver.

Once they arrived at the University, they headed straight for the library to read Professor Baker's thesis paper as well as some research papers that were not available on line. The papers mainly dealt with mathematical models of how the extra dimensions needed for string theory to be valid could be related to our own. Rose was only vaguely aware of what any of it meant, though the Doctor tried to explain it.

"You see, Rose, you lot (that's what he always called humans when he was trying to sound extra clever) have only discovered three dimensions: up/down, left/right, and front back. But there are many more dimensions than those three. There are at least eleven. Of course the Time Lords discovered that millennia ago."

"Of course," she mumbled, rolling her eyes, "are we finished in here than?"

The Doctor nodded, returning all the journals back to their proper spots, before grabbing Rose's hand. They made their way to the elevator and, after consulting a campus map, headed for the Professor's office.

When they arrived at his office, Professor Baker appeared to be preparing to leave. He was gathering up books and papers and trying to shove them into an already over stuffed brief case. Rose had to suppress a giggle at the image it created. He looked exactly as one would imagine a physics professor to look, right down to the tweed jacket.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he began once he noticed them, "my office hours are over, but if you'd like to make an appointment?"

The Doctor stepped up, whipping out the psychic paper (he was eternally grateful that Rose had had it on her when she first ended up in the parallel universe).

"We're visiting from Oxford," he said, showing the paper to the professor, "we are just doing some interviews with the faculty here for a research project we are a part of."

Professor Baker pursed his lips and glanced up at the Doctor. "It's just a blank piece of paper," he said, nodding towards the psychic paper.

The Doctor's eyes widened as he turned the paper to face himself.

"Ah, erm, that is,…" he floundered, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

Finally Rose stepped in to rescue him.

"We aren't actually from any University. We're just visiting from England, and we're big fans of your research. We've read a lot of your papers. We just wanted know if you would allow us the honor of sitting in on one of your lectures?"

The Professor's cheeks reddened a bit. He looked flustered for a minute before calming himself enough to analyze Rose and the Doctor. He looked between them, trying to assess their sincerity. Seeing the eager smiles on both of their faces, he acquiesced.

"I'm only part time now, but I have a lecture tomorrow at 10:30. You may sit in. But be prompt. I do not take kindly to being interrupted!"

With that he gave a nod of dismissal, gathered up his cane and brief case and began heading out the door. Rose and the Doctor glanced at each other in surprise before quickly following him out and allowing him to lock up behind them.

As soon as they arrived outside, Rose turned to the Doctor.

"He wasn't fooled by the psychic paper."

"No, no he wasn't. That has happened a time or two before. People who are geniuses, very strong minded don't see anything. Shakespeare for instance only saw a blank paper too. But still, it is another interesting tid bit to add to our mystery."

Rose chewed on her finger, "so, what do you think, is he an alien?'

The Doctor pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver, analyzing it.

"Nope." He replied, popping the 'p.' " I scanned him while you were talking. He's as human as you and…. Well as human as you are."


	13. Chapter 13

Rose and the Doctor arrived at the lecture hall at 10:15 the next morning. The Doctor insisted on taking a seat front and center of the room. There were only a few scattered students who had arrived before them. Most of them were furiously reading text books and scribbling down notes. Quickly, the room began to fill with people, and the noise level began to rise as friends greeted one another and students discussed the previously assigned readings. Rose and the Doctor scanned the room but could discern nothing unusual about the classroom or the students. It seemed in every way to be the same as thousands of university classes around the world.

At exactly 10:30, Professor Baker entered the room. The change in the class was amazing. Instantly there was silence as if a government dignitary had just stepped in. Rose was amazed at the presence the man commanded. He did not look like anything special, but there was obviously something about him which garnered immense respect.

As the Professor spoke, the only other sound in the room was the scratching of pen to paper and the clicking of keyboards as students struggled to take down notes on the lecture. Rose glanced over at the Doctor, who sat listening with rapt attention leaning forward, hands folded beneath his chin. Rose was surprised at his interest level since she knew that his knowledge of physics far exceeded anyone's on this planet.

Nearly two hours later, Professor Baker stopped his lecture and asked if there were any questions. A few students raised their hands, asking for clarification on points that he had gone over. Rose was surprised at the patience with which he answered the questions. In her experience, geniuses were none too patient with the lack of understanding of others. She began to get a glimpse of what it was about this man that commanded such respect.

When the questions had all been answered, and the Professor was about to call an end to the class, the Doctor raised his hand. Professor Baker looked at him curiously, but nodded for him to proceed with his question.

"As a physics professor, knowledgeable in the study of String Theory, what is your belief on the possibility of parallel dimensions or universes?" the Doctor asked.

The Professor's eyes widened. He looked quite taken aback by the question. After an uncomfortable silence, he found his voice and responded.

"That's a pretty in depth topic to cover in the last couple of minutes of a lecture. I think it best that you come to my office so that we can discuss it there. Class dismissed."

And with that he turned to leave the classroom. Students looked at the Doctor with curiosity, wondering who this man was who could so fluster their normally unflappable professor. They whispered amongst themselves as they quickly gathered up their belongings to head to lunch or their next lecture.

The Doctor grabbed Rose's hand, practically dragging her along as he quickly followed Professor Baker to his office. As soon as they all entered, he closed the door and turned to them.

"Who are you?" the Professor asked, eyebrows creased.

"Ooh, right, I'm The Doc…er, I'm Doctor Jason Noble," the Doctor replied, extending his hand, "and this," he waved towards Rose, "Is my wife, Rose Tyler-Noble."

"Doctor? Doctor of what?"

"Linguistics. I write translation programs and consult with governments when they come across new languages, well old languages really, that they are unfamiliar with."

It was as close to the truth as he could get without sounding like a nutter or giving away Torchwood secrets.

Professor Baker nodded, "and what is your interest in parallel universes then?"

"Wellll," the Doctor began, "bit of a hobby for me, I suppose. Always been interested in that. I've dabbled in physics and it brought up some interesting questions in my mind is all." He grinned and shrugged.

The Professor's eyes shifted between the Doctor and Rose. He chewed his lip in deep thought before letting out a deep breath and shifting uncomfortably on his feet.

"Very well. Why don't you come to my home tomorrow for tea. We can talk in depth there."

He reached in his pocked for a business card to jot down his address, and handed it to Rose.

"Oh, but we already know…," the Doctor began before being cut off by Rose punching him in the arm.

"Tomorrow then." She smiled, trying to reassure him that they meant him no harm. "Thank you."

Rose and the Doctor silently exited the office and headed outside. After a few minutes of walking, The Doctor, rubbing his arm, turned to Rose.

"What was that for?"

"We couldn't have him knowing we had already been to his house, Doctor," she replied, "he would have thought we were stalkers or something."

"Oh, right," he mumbled, "yes, well, good point."

"Doctor? What do you think? He seemed…. Frightened. Properly frightened."

"Hmmmm, Yes, he did Rose."

"Well, do you think he could have been some type of criminal in the other universe, and came here to get away from the law, or start again?" she continued.

The Doctor shrugged, "possibly. But that doesn't explain HOW he got here."

They turned and grinned at one another, both enjoying the mystery and intrigue of not knowing. The Doctor hadn't felt so much like himself since he had arrived in this universe. It was why he had always travelled, the chance to come across the new and the unknown. And here he was, completely stymied… and he loved it.

Professor Baker lowered himself into his chair and put his head in his hands. If anyone found out about his past, he was done. His career, his reputation, his good name… gone. He wasn't sure why he was even talking to these two strangers. Perhaps it was the fact that they seemed familiar somehow, especially Jason, like a long-lost relative or friend. Or perhaps he was just tired of the lies. Tired of hiding his past. Just plain tired.


	14. Chapter 14

Thank you all so much for the favorites, follows, and reviews! I have no idea how to respond to each of them on this site, but I do appreciate them all. At least one person noticed that I named the Professor after my two favorite classic Who Doctors :)

"Oh Doctor, do we have to stay out here all night," Rose grumbled.

The Doctor had insisted that they spend the night sitting across from Professor Baker's house in order to keep an eye on him. They were fortunate to have perception filters with them so they wouldn't be risking arrest as stalkers or Peeping Toms. Still, it got chilly once the sun went down, and sitting up all night staring at someone's home was not Rose's idea of a fun evening.

"Rose, he knows we are on to him. There's a high likelihood that he'll make run for it. I want to make sure that doesn't happen…. Ooh wait, there he is now!"

The Professor stepped out of his front door and stared up into the sky. He stood silent and still in the darkness, his face hidden in the shadows. He stayed like that for a good twenty minutes before silently returning inside where he flicked on a light in his office. There, he sat at his desk and began writing. Sighing, he closed the leather bound book with his notes in it, returned the room to darkness, and headed for bed.

Rose sat down and sighed, "Is that the most excitement we're going to see all night then?"

The Doctor sat next to her and patted his lap.

"Come on then, lay your head down and get some sleep. I'll keep vigil."

Rose settled down, the Doctor's jacket tucked around her, and her head nestled in his lap. She took a deep breath, breathing in the scent of him. Even after changing faces, and then changing species, he still smelled the same as when she had first met him. It was a smell that she could only describe as time and timelessness.

"Tell me about the stars, Doctor. Tell me their names," she whispered.

He pointed to the sky, telling her the names of every star he could see. Then he began to tell her stories of his centuries of travel; the battles, the adventures, the companions. She loved listening to him. His voice continued on and on, soothing her, until she slipped into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

She must have slept for hours because when she awoke again the sun was already making its way across the sky. The Doctor looked down at her, a smile playing across his lips.

"I'm sorry Doctor," Rose jumped up, "it couldn't have been comfortable having me sleeping on your lap all night long."

He grinned at her.

"Oh, I don't know. Spent my nights in worse ways."

"Yeah." She grinned back, tongue poking between her teeth.

"Still," she pointed to their rumpled clothing, "we can't very well call on the Professor looking like this."

"Oooh quite right," he replied, looking down at himself, "well, I suppose if he hasn't tried to make a run for it yet, he isn't likely to. We'll head back to the hotel and get cleaned up before our visit. Come on then Rose Tyler-Noble." He grabbed her hand as they made their way back to where they were staying.

Two hours later, freshly showered and sporting a change of clothes, Rose and the Doctor stood before Professor Baker's front door. It only took a few seconds for him to open the door, like he had been standing on the other side just waiting for them. He looked far calmer and more at peace then the last time they had seen him. Rose thought he looked like a criminal who had finally confessed a crime that had been eating at his conscience for years.

Professor Baker stepped aside, allowing them access to his home.

"Please, come in. Allow me to introduce my wife, Liz."

Up close it was now clear that Liz was at least 15 years younger than her husband. Rose chuckled to herself. She wondered what the Professor and Liz would think if they knew the real age gap between her and the Doctor. It certainly made a mere 15 years look like nothing.

Although Liz welcomed them warmly, offering them a seat and refreshments, it was clear that she was watching them with trepidation, waiting anxiously to see what they wanted from her husband. She would not let them hurt him. They had come so far together, but he was still so fragile. She would protect him. At any cost.

The room was inviting, decorated in warm hues of red and tans, but Rose was struck by the lack of photos. The flat she and the Doctor shared was full of pictures of them, her parents, Tony, Torchwood friends. The Bakers had only two photos that she could see. One was the two of them together taken probably ten years ago, the other was an older couple that Rose assumed to be Liz's parents, since the woman bore a strong resemblance to her.

Rose sat on one end of the couch and the Doctor sat on the other. He poured himself a cup of tea and added a splash of milk and four spoonfuls of sugar. He was delighted to see the five different kinds of biscuits being offered, and took one of each. Then he sat forward, hands on his legs.

"Well then Professor Baker," he began, eyes wide with anticipation, "tell us what you know about multiple universes."

The Professor sat back and took a deep breath, preparing himself. Then he began to tell his story.


End file.
